UKTeX V87 #17
Responses to current UK-TEX mailing.
Diagrams and other graphics.
Linotron/fonts/etc
Re Vortex
VorTeX
RIP
DVIPS on Primes, and circuit diagrams...
---------------------------------
Editor
I have a procedure which reads vms mail and splits up the messages. This
could help in setting up a mail despatch based on post for material from
the Archive. Any offers of help for setting up a mail service for the
Archive. We have also acquired the Lancaster Software and will make a
`Kermit' type service available shortly.
File transfer problems - We have also been experiencing problems fetching
files from a prime system. To identify and pinpoint the cause I would like
volunteers with the following configurations.
Prime system
VAX running ULTRIX
VAX running UNIX (BSD)
IBM system
I will then arrange for a small test file which can be moved between the
systems to find out which types of file fail and which succeed. Anyone
using workstations are welcome to particpate. Please let me know. Perhaps
this will enable us to tell the respective suppliers what is wrong with the
transfer software. There is one condition, that the software can be
monitored at both ends during the test transfers.
The three files listed below have been added and due to VMS the `.' has
disappeared. The files refer to 2.1_to_2.3, 2.3_to_2.5 and 2.5_to_2.7.
aston.spock::[PUBLIC.PAVEL.TEX]
TEX-21_TO_23.DIFF;1
TEX-23_TO_25.DIFF;1
TEX-25_TO_27.DIFF;1
The compress utility for *_z files for users under VMS is now available in
[public.vms]compress_z.vms
The files [public]000aston.readme and [public]000directory.list have been
updated recently.
Peter
---------------------------------
Date: 2-DEC-1987 17:28:24 GMT
From: CHAA006@UK.AC.RHBNC.VAXB
To: info-tex@UK.AC.ASTON.MAIL
Subject: Responses to current UK-TEX mailing.
Mailer: Janet_Mailshr V2.8(b)
Sender: Janet"Chaa006@Uk.Ac.Rhbnc.Vaxb" <CHAA006@UK.AC.RHBNC.VAXB>
Reply-to: Philip Taylor (RHBNC, Univ of London) <CHAA006@UK.AC.RHBNC.VAXB>
To John Pavel, re. Linotron
The University of London Computer Centre has recently obtained a Linotron
300, which is similar to your device in offering 1270 dpi and understanding
PostScript. I have successfully printed DVI on it using ArborText's
DVILASER/PS, running on an Opus AT clone. I have generated a set of 1270 dpi
CM-series fonts, and will endeavour to make them available via Aston. They are
untested as yet. What is 'LFONTS.TeX' ?
+++Editor - LFONTS.TeX is the font declaration file for LaTeX+++
The PostScript is about twice as voluminous as the DVI, excluding down-line
loaded fonts (whic are shipped as hex bit-maps, and therefore potentially
enormous).
+++Editor - I have the backup file of fonts and they will be in
[public.gffiles.linotron] shortly. A small problem with space availability+++
To Jon Warbrick, re. A4 versus American paper sizes.
I define the paper size as 210 by 297 mm (using \hsize and \vsize), set
the margin to whatever I need for the present document, (assuming a 0,0
origin, not Knuth's canonical 1",1") using \hoffset and \voffset, then,
assuming I want symmetrical margins, \advance \hsize by -2\hoffset and
\advance \vsize by -2\voffset. My driver defaults to a 0,0 origin.
** Phil.
---------------------------------
Date: 2-DEC-1987 18:25:23 GMT +00:00
From: MACALLSTR@UK.AC.OX.PH.V1
To: info-tex@UK.AC.ASTON
Subject: Diagrams and other graphics.
Sender: John_Macallister <MACALLSTR@UK.AC.OX.PH.V1>
From: John_Macallister <MACALLSTR@UK.AC.OX.PH.V1>
X-Info: Nuclear Physics Lab,Keble Rd,Oxford OX1 3RH. Phone+44-865-273388
Although plain TeX has the facilities to perform line drawing, it is very
difficult to do in practice.
An easier interface might be LaTeX which has a 'Picture' mode with easy
drawing commands. This has the advantage of giving you high quality text
and drawing on the same page.
For many laser printers, another option is simply to draw the picture
using a 'standard' graphics package. The QMS Lasergrafix800 ( the one
of which I have personal experience ) has a Tektronix 4014 graphics mode
as a standard feature. As it is possible to 'clip' the picture and overlay
pages within the printer itself, it is easy to mix text and graphics on the
same page. As most graphics packages can produce Tektronix 4010/4014 output
this would seem to be the easiest way of having diagrams and high quality
text on the same page. The graphics can be added at any point, either in
the TeX processing ( using a 'verbatim' facility ) or in the DVItoprinter
file.
John
---------------------------------
Date: 3-DEC-1987 09:32:10
From: FPS@UK.AC.IMPERIAL.CC.VAXA
To: INFO-TEX@UK.AC.ASTON.MAIL
Linotron/fonts/etc
1. the linotron may also understand Cora. if it does, Graham Asher of
Informat has a DVI2CORA driver, which will of course use the proper
Linotron fonts, not these Adobe imitations. he will make the `modified'
lplain available too. tel: 01-580-1938
2. phil taylor of rhbnc, who will no doubt contribute to this query has
generated all the CM fonts at 1270dpi. It does take up a little space.
unfortunately phil did not generate the LaTeX fonts too.
3. depending what you drive it from, drivers like ArborText's DVILASER/PS
happily support PS fonts. the only `problem' you may have is with the afm's
which are not as information rich as TeX's tfm's. But try sebastian rahtz
at soton for more info, since they prefer to use PS to CM. of course Adobe
never finished the job and there are many missing glyphs, so you cannot at
present use PS as a complete substitute. there should be PS-CM fonts
`soon'. don't hold your breath.
4. in general i find PS to be about 2-3 times the dvi, which itself is
larger than the tex. but Adobe will tell you that that is because of the
quality of the PS.
Plymouth
First Grade TeX is available from TUG (whose address you should know). I
understand the Prime implementation from Ohio will shortly have a PS
driver. check with Cathy Booth at Exeter. I believe that ArborText has not
implemented anything on a Prime.
---------------------------------
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3 Dec 87 12:02 GMT
Date: Thu, 3 Dec 87 12:02:41 GMT
From: "S.J.Leviseur" <sjl@uk.ac.ukc>
To: info-tex@uk.ac.aston.mail
Subject: Re Vortex
We actually have it on order! It seems to take a couple of months
to get the application forms so if you can get photocopies in the
UK it might be a good idea.
Vortex is not public domain, it is licensed on a similar license to
BSD Unix. It costs 250 dollars to academic sites and, I think, more
to commercial sites.
Does anyone in the UK have Vortex?
sean
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To: G.Toal@uk.ac.ed
Cc: info-tex@uk.ac.aston.mail
Subject: VorTeX
Date: Thu, 03 Dec 87 10:52:27 GMT
Message-Id: <9780.565527147@psg.npl.co.uk>
From: John Pavel <jrp@uk.co.npl.psg>
The VorTeX that we have (which is, almost a year old) contains
dvitool: a very nice SunWindows-based DVI previewer with
emacs-like navigation commands. dvitool stays up
between TeX runs and there are a couple of programs
to feed it after running TeX and LaTeX. This is
hardly wysiwyg, but it can speed up the
edit/format/preview cycle.
GNU emacs macros: for TeX/LaTeX/BibTeX
makeindex: a sophisticated index formatter for LaTeX .idx
files.
dvitoip: interpress driver, etc
pxtool: pxl font generation tool for SunWindows
There are a couple of articles of VorTeX in the Springer LNCS 236 book
on TeX for Scientific documentation.
John Pavel
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To: ABBOTTP@uk.ac.aston.mail
Subject: RIP
Date: Thu, 03 Dec 87 11:01:59 GMT
Message-Id: <9886.565527719@psg.npl.co.uk>
From: John Pavel <jrp@uk.co.npl.psg>
Thanks for your note. What is a RIP?
+++Editor - In laymans terms I suppose the RIP is a (>300dpi) postscript
laser printer which does not produce paper but sends the output to a
phototypsetter+++
How can one use the builtin fonts from LaTeX (I assume that the
PostScript fonts are not CM)? In any case, Is that really the way
to go? Have you plans to build new fonts with the latest mf and cm
mf corrections?
+++Editor - One way is to modify a copy of LFONTS.TEX to change cmr to the
name of the built in font, similarly the italic and bold fonts. It works
quite well and I can supply a file edited for Helvetica if anyone wants
it. I do not have the resources to build the new fonts but would like
copies if anyone else is willing to do the work.+++
John
P.S. You will find a dvidoc for BSD Unix on the tapes that I sent.
+++Editor - The tape has arrived and is faulty so I am awaiting another
copy+++
---------------------------------
Date: Thu, 03 Dec 87 15:49:40 BST
To: INFO-TEX@UK.AC.ASTON.MAIL
From: BOOTH.CM@UK.AC.EXETER
Subject: DVIPS on Primes, and circuit diagrams...
Message-ID: <BOOTH.CM.QFLS@UK.AC.EXETER>
One reply, and one query...
1) In reply to Jon Warbrick's DVIPS query - the new Prime tape (TeX 2.5)
includes Nelson Beebe's PostScript driver for free. I received the tape
only recently and haven't had time to unravel its goodies, so can't tell you
more just yet.
2) I'd also be interested in TeX macros to produce circuit diagrams,
if Kate Crennell or others can unearth anything. Thanks.
Cathy Booth (BOOTH.CM@UK.AC.EXETER)
---------------------------------
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